High-resolution Doppler Sonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Evaluating Carotid Stenosis and Plaque Morphology

Carotid artery stenosis (CAS) caused by atherosclerosis is a major contributor to stroke. Accurately assessing stenosis severity and plaque morphology is crucial for stroke prevention and management. This study aimed to evaluate Doppler sonography (DS) as a diagnostic tool for carotid stenosis and plaque morphology. Fifty patients with suspected carotid artery stenosis underwent both DS and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in this study. The diagnostic efficacy of DS compared to MRI was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Agreement between the two methods was assessed using the Kappa statistic. The majority of patients were elderly. The male-to-female ratio was 3:1. DS demonstrated high accuracy in diagnosing plaque presence or absence, with sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of 98.41%, 100%, and 98.4%, respectively. However, for diagnosing significant stenosis (>50% stenosis), the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 92.89%, 97.67%, and 97%, respectively. DS shows high sensitivity and specificity for detecting both significant stenosis (>50%) and plaque buildup. However, MRI alone is not reliable for diagnosing partial subclavian steal syndrome.